The Archaeology of Beringia

West, Frederick Hadleigh

doi:10.7312/west93080

Cited by 48 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…This age perfectly fits the typology and morphology of lithic tools from undated collections at the Kheta and Bolshaya Khaya 4 sites as well as their geomorphic position. It may be one of the few archaeologically visible cultural indications for the final Pleistocene of NE Asia, or Beringian cultural tradition as first suggested by West (1981). Lithic industries that accompany these objects are variable in terms of technology and typology.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 97%

The Berelekh Mammoth “Graveyard”: New Chronological and Stratigraphical Data from the 2009 Field Season

2014

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To clarify unanswered questions of site formation, geology and the archaeology of the Berelekh geoarchaeological complex, a special survey was undertaken in 2009 of the area surrounding the site. Several geological units have been revealed. By establishing the spatial and temporal relationship of these deposits—as well as their age—we have reconstructed the formation history of the Berelekh bone bed. The mammoth bone deposit belongs to a paleochannel. Radiocarbon dating of mammoth remains at Berelekh demonstrates rapid accumulation during the Bølling warming. Human involvement in its formation is, at best, questionable, since there is no real overlap between the radiocarbon dates associated with past human activity, and those of the mammoth bone bed. This study confirms that humans used mammoth bone remains after the bone bed was deposited. Culturally, the Berelekh “site” does not have any relationship to the so‐called “Dyuktai culture.” Instead, the Berelekh archaeological finds (side notched stone pendants) show certain similarities to non‐microblade terminal Pleistocene assemblages found from Yenisei to Kamchatka. Additionally, the Berelekh complex presents a clear analogy with lithics found in Eastern Beringia. Teardrop‐shaped incomplete bifaces found in the assemblage are comparable to the Chindadn points of Alaska. The nature of this “Chindadn connection” is intriguing but it is the only visible cultural link between Western and Eastern Beringia.

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Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 97%

The Berelekh Mammoth “Graveyard”: New Chronological and Stratigraphical Data from the 2009 Field Season

2014

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“…1). 5,6 Defining Beringia is an important first step in addressing the problems of when and how it was occupied by humans. Beginning with Hultén, Beringia has been conceived as a geographic unit inhabited by a characteristic flora and fauna, and bounded by natural features such as coastlines, glaciers, rivers, and mountains.…”

Section: John F Hoffecker and Scott A Eliasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environment and archeology in Beringia

Hoffecker

Elias²

2003

Evolutionary Anthropology

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The occupation of Beringia remains one of the most complex problems in human paleoecology. This is because of the wide array of variables that are likely to have affected the timing and character of settlement in the now partially submerged land that lies between the Lena and Mackenzie Rivers. At a minimum, these variables include changing sea levels and coastlines, advancing and retreating glaciers, changing fauna and flora (including trees), and evolving human adaptations to high‐latitude environments. Humans occupied Beringia during the interval between the end of the Last Glacial Maximum cold peak (ca. 20,000 cal BP) and the beginning of the Holocene (11,600 cal BP), when all of these variables were in an almost constant state of flux.

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“…The traditional "Clovis First" (Haynes 1969;West 1981) hypothesis suggests that the first Americans were large game hunters who migrated from northeast Asia across the Beringian land bridge ca. 12 000 14 C years BP, spreading southward through a continental "ice-free corridor" located east of the Canadian Rockies (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Late Pleistocene coastal paleogeography of the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, Canada, and its implications for terrestrial biogeography and early postglacial human occupation

Hetherington¹,

Barrie²,

Reid³

et al. 2003

Can. J. Earth Sci.

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Molluscs, sediment lithology, and published sub-bottom profiles are used to deduce sea levels, outline the influence of glacially induced crustal displacement, and reconstruct the paleoenvironment of the northeast Pacific late Quaternary coastline. Geo-spatial modelling shows subaerially exposed land that could have been inhabited by plants and animals, and also coastally migrating early North American peoples. Ice-free terrain, present by at least 13 790 ± 150 14 C years BP, a land bridge, and edible molluscs are identified. Queen Charlotte Islands (QCI) late Pleistocene coastal paleogeography may assist in explaining the biogeography of many terrestrial plant and animal species along the broader northeastern Pacific margin and provide evidence for researchers seeking late Pleistocene -early Holocene glacial refugia. Late Pleistocene -early Holocene coastlines that are not drowned and that may harbour early archaeological sites are identified along the western QCI, where migrants probably first travelled and the westernmost British Columbia mainland, where the effects of glacial ice were reduced.Résumé : Des mollusques, la lithologie des sédiments et des profils publiés du sous-sol du fond sont utilisés pour déduire les niveaux de la mer, définir l'influence des déplacements de la croûte causés par la glace et reconstruire le paléoenvironnement de la côte nord-est du Pacifique au Quaternaire tardif. Des modèles géospaciaux montrent des terres subaériennes exposées qui auraient pu être habitées par des plantes et des animaux ainsi que par des peuples nord-américains primitifs qui migraient sur la côte. Des terrains libres de glace, présents depuis au moins 13 790 ± 150 14 C années avant notre ère, un pont terrestre et des mollusques comestibles sont identifiés. La paléogéographie de la côte des îles de la Reine Charlotte au Pléistocène tardif peut aider à expliquer la biogéographie de plusieurs espèces de plantes et d'animaux terrestres le long de la marge étendue du Pacifique nord-est et fournir des évidences pour les chercheurs qui recherchent des refuges glaciaires au Pléistocène tardif -Holocène précoce. Les côtes du Pléistocène tardif -Holocène précoce qui ne sont pas inondées et qui pourraient contenir des sites archéologiques anciens sont identifiés le long des îles de la Reine Charlotte occidentales, vers lesquelles des peuples migrateurs ont probablement tout d'abord voyagé, et sur la partie continentale la plus à l'ouest de la Colombie-Britannique, où les effets de la glace de l'ère glaciaire étaient moindres.[Traduit par la Rédaction] Hetherington et al. 1766

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The Archaeology of Beringia

Cited by 48 publications

References 0 publications

The Berelekh Mammoth “Graveyard”: New Chronological and Stratigraphical Data from the 2009 Field Season

The Berelekh Mammoth “Graveyard”: New Chronological and Stratigraphical Data from the 2009 Field Season

Environment and archeology in Beringia

Late Pleistocene coastal paleogeography of the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, Canada, and its implications for terrestrial biogeography and early postglacial human occupation

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